Closure for buildings



o. c. JOHNSON CLOSURE FOR. BUILDINGS Filed Oct. 11, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 12, 1932. o. c. JOHNSON CLOSURE FOR BUILDINGS Filed Oct. 11, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 12, 1932 ts. "stares 'OBVILLE'C. OI-INSON, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS CLOSURE FOR BUILDINGS Applitatioiifiled Ohtober 11, 1930. Serial No. 488,104.

This invention relates to closure operators, and more particularly to that type involving an automatic raising and lowering of a sectional closure upon the application. of a weight on an associated part. It has its special application to a garage door where platforms or tracks for a motor vehicle are provided at either side of the door, one end of said platforms or tracks being depressed and i .10 the movement translated into a raising movement of the door.

it has for its object the improvement of the details of cons ruction of such a device. A further object is the production in a device of the character described of a neatly fitting closure. A further object of the invention is the simplification of the means for convertin a short movement of the platforms into an increased movement in the door.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of the doorwith fittings therefor, adapted to be shipped to a builder and by him inserted in a standard garage door operung.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the following d scription and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. a

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the-several figures of the dra -ings, in which Fig. l is a front elevation looking from the inside of the door, parts being shown as broken away.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View showing the operating parts attached to the jamb.

Figs. 3 tot are details. I The numeral 1.0 indlcatesas a wholethe sectional closure, 11 the jambs in whichit is mounted, while 12' and 13 indicatepresiaed' tively, the outside and inside platforms or tracks, the movement of which operates mechanism" which raises the door.

The closure shown is made in two sections,

14: and 15, hingedly connected upon their in ner faces, the upper section being pivotally mounted between the jam-bs 11, 11 behind the timber 16 across the tog of'the jambs, enabling the closure to'fit neatly'against the face structionthat the lower endof the door canof the jambs. This upper section, measured from the pintle to the lower edge, is slightly shorter than the lower section, measured from the roller to the upper edge, for the purpose of enabling the maximum of opening without danger of locking the sections in their raised position. This will bev illustrated from the dotted line showing of the closure sections in raised position in Fig. 2.

The floor sections are shown in the form of platforms, one within the building and the other outside. The outside platform or track is mounted between suitable copings, not shown, flush with the platform when the closure is down, making a neat and snug fit therewith. The platforms are connected in any suitable manner as at 16, to operatein unison. As shown an angle 13 is mounted on one edge of the platform-13 and one leg of this angle formsa shelf for the support of .1 the contiguous edge of the platform 12. 7

It will be appreciated that by thus forming the two platforms, their weight together with this simple construction will enable them to operate in unison. It will be further appre ciated that the forward edge of the platform 12 lies under the door in its closed position and therefore makes a tight fit.

Oneach of the jambs is a latch 17 which is provided with a pivoted hook l8 underthe "tension of a spring 19. At the oppositeend of the latch is a sheave 20 over which a power cable 21 takes in the operation of the door.

This power cable is attached at one end to" the anglef'on the platform- 13 as shown at 22 and at its other endis secured to a plate 47, attached to the door above to the rear of a pivot or: pintle 41' to he hereinafter described. 1 i

It is necessary to confine the-movement of W the lower section of thedoor to one which will produce the collapsed or folded condition as illustrated inidott'ed lines in Fig. 2. To this end each" side of the vdoor at its lower end is provided with a roller 29 and on the face of each jamb is provideda track-way con sisting of achannel iron in which the roller is confined to'a. movement in a vertical direction only. It will be appreciated by this con not leave the jamb'and that only the abutting portions of the hinged sections will be permitted to a movement away from the jamb'.

By this construction, when a weight of sufficient magnitude is placed upon either of the platforms 12 or 13, the door is first unlatched by the action of the cable 21 upon the latch 17 and then lifted to open position. In the upward movement of the upper door section the lower door section follows. At first this lower door section is lifted vertically without any overhang, but in the upward movement it extends outwardly and '5 produces considerable overhang which produces a cushioning effect. The result of these features prevents the door from raising with a slam.

It will be understood that the relative weight of automobile to be used with the garage, taken in connection with the weight of the platforms 12 and 1 bears a relation to the weight of the door and the amount of leverage produced, so that in neither the raising nor the lowering of the door will there be an undue slamming.

The door-will-descend to its closed posi-I' tion and will latch itself. For this purpose latch elements 31 are provided upon the upper portion of the lower section ofthe door. 7

In Figs. 3 to 6 are shown the details of the mounting of the upper end of the door. The upper door section is provided on its rear face with a bracing angle 39 and on its edges 38 with an angle l0, both of which are securely fastened to the door section by any suitable means. A pintle 41 is secured in a recess in the door and extends through an aperture in the angle 4:0. A bolt 43 passes through the angle 40, an aperture in the pintle ll, a portion of the'door 38, and

through the angle 39, and thus securely holds the pintle in place in conjunction with the aperture in the edge portion of the angle 40.

.The upper end of the amb is also recessed as at 4% for he purpose of receivingthe bearing piate 45 which consists of a base and a bearing socket 46. It will beappreciated thatboth sides of the jamb are thus provided with. sockets for the reception of the pintles of the 'door and that to remove the door from these sockets it is only necessary to elevate it slightlyso that the pintles will pass clear of the upper edges of the socket.

The upper end of the angle 40 is provided with a plate or heel 4:7 in which is an aperture 48. By 'means of this aperture the cable 21 may be attached to the heel 47.

What is claimed is:

.1. In a door and operator combination designed for insertion in a standard garage door opening, a door comprising hinged sect-ions, means for pivotally mounting the upper section and for slidably holding the ORVILLE G. JOHNSON. 

